Happy Holidays!

The holiday season is upon us once again.  Remember, we are still open here at Multicyl for any Holiday shut down repairs that you may require.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Multicyl. 

Press In A Box

Looking for a quick to setup solution for your punching, notching, shearing, or other needs? 
Look no further than our Press-In-A-Box!

The whole system can be setup and be ready for production in under 5 minutes.  That's right, from box to press in under 5 minutes.

 Click here for more info:  Press-In-A-Box

Summer Heat

Hot, hazy days have your Multicyl feeling sluggish?   Unfortunately humid ambient air is a reality in most plants.  This humidity can freeze on the mufflers of the exhaust valves.

As the valve freezes over, the cylinder cannot vent the air out fast enough and the return stroke becomes “sluggish”.  To alleviate this problem, the muffler can be removed, which will cause greater exhaust noise, or it can be replaced with a larger muffler with more surface area.

Another common mistake that is made is installing a muffler or air line on the exhaust port of the MC series cylinders (the NPT threaded hole between the air and the oil cylinders).   Installing a muffler or breather vent here restricts air flow and therefore restricts the speed at which the cylinder operates.

Dusty shop floors are another common cause for system slow downs.  At the back of the foot valve, there is a breather vent. 

These vents can become clogged with dust and will negatively impact system performance.  This is a very easy fix.  Simply remove the vent and either blow it out with an air gun, or in extreme cases, wash it first in a solvent tank, dry, and reinstall.

If you still have questions, feel free to contact us

Busy summer ahead...

Summer is traditionally a slow down time in our industry as people take holidays and projects wait until fall and trade show season to heat up... but not this year!  We are going to have one of the busiest summers in recent years as we have secured multiple large projects including one in which we are working with one of the largest aluminum extruders in the United States to supply them with a quantity of six Multicyl MRL machines.  Look for updates and pictures of the project as in progresses in the near future!

Multicyl Safety

Safety is always an important consideration when selecting and installing new machinery.  In addition to our two hand anti-tie down option and our patented self-adjusting stroke which can be used to reduce pinch points, Multicyl now offers standard 80/20 and Lexan guarding packages!

A Great Start

The first quarter of the year has proven to be a great start!  Numbers are up, customer enquiries are high, and we have some exciting projects on the horizen - we are excited for the rest of Multicyl's 2012!

Time to take a look at another successful Multicyl project!

 Wiremold, a very good and continued customer of Multicyl, contacted us for a solution to a sheet metal punching application they had.  The need was for 13 holes  to be punched along 3 edges of large panel – but with both positional adjustment and gagged selectability of some holes.   The result was excellent; a custom machine with 7 cylinders showcasing many of the benefits of Multicyl – versatility, power, punching speed, and safety.  Visit www.multicyl.com or click the picture below to see the machine in action!

Finished A production Run?

Due to the portability and versatility of a Multicyl system, there are customers who use the systems for small flexible production stations.

Do you have a multicyl unit that you need to re-purpose?

If you do, tool changeover is a very cost effective way to get more life out of your investment.

Most tools are located with a dowel pin, and affixed with a socket head cap screw.

Give us a call with what kind of tooling you need for your next project, we'll handle the rest.

Repairing a Multicyl cylinder

Even thought our cylinders are very reliable, occasionally they do require a new seal kit to be installed.

This can be done in one of two ways:

1)  You can send back the cylinder to Multicyl for a complete refurbishing, or

2)  You can purchase a seal kit and do the repair yourself.

The thought of disassembling a cylinder can seem daunting to some people, however, we have made some  handy PDF files with pictures detailing how to change the seals in your Multicyl

MC series, XL series, and DX series manuals can all be found here:  Multicyl Resource Page

And as usual, if you have any questions, feel free to contact one of our friendly and knowledgeable staff members

1981 TO 2011 … THAT’S 30 YEARS IN BUSINESS.

Another magnificent milestone has been passed, 30 years, that’s a long time for a company to survive in these turbulent times .

We are excited to celebrate this anniversary and take a little time to reflect our success as we look forward to the future with great anticipation. 

Times change, downsizing and corporate relocation are old news.  Challenges change as industries shift continents but the rewards of our efforts are just as satisfying.

We look back with pride on our accomplishments and thank our loyal staff and excellent suppliers for their service through the years. Our success is summarized by Multicyl's business axiom which is a simple one.

“Be scrupulously fair and consistent with everybody. And when you promise to do something....do it.”

This axiom has stood the company in good stead for its first 30 years.  We are confident it will take us through the next 30 years with matching success.

Just by coincidence as this article was being written this MC series cyl was returned for repair. Built in 1988 a seal kit was all that was needed to rebuild this cyl back into full production.

Just like a Rolls Royce Multicyls never break down “they may be temporarily out of commission!”

Identifying a Multicyl Cylinder

One of the most common questions we get when we talk to a customer is “How do I know what cylinder I have?” 

There are two sets of numbers stamped on a multicyl's main body.  One set of numbers is the model number, the other is the serial number

First let’s take a look at the model number. 

You can see three sets of numbers stamped into the metal beneath the oil reservoir.  This particulat cylinder is a 20 16 7.

What does this mean?

The first number is tonnage  X2

so 20/2= 10Tons@120 PSI

the second number is the total stroke in 1/8th of an inch

16/8 = 2" Total stroke

the third numer is power stroke in 1/32nds of an inch

7/32" total power stroke.

The serial number to the cylinder can be found stamped in the same area on the back of the cylinder

Multicyl Trademarks - Helping the User

The implementation of recently trade marked Press-In-A-Box™ Multicyl packages and our Systematic™ Multicyl selection tool has implications for promotional and practical use both for our new customers and existing users of Multicyl products.

Press-In-A-Box™ offers the user a complete work station which converts

“From Box to Press, In 5 Minutes or Less!”

For the experienced user who is looking for a quick and easy method of Multicyl press selection to the novice user who needs to rely on the practical experience of other professionals,  Press-In-A-Box™  is designed to simplify the purchasing process with a pre-packaged product which is simple to ship and easy to install.  With step by step assistance from our website the user will be punching holes faster with Multicyl than any competitors’ press.

To facilitate the selection process our Systematic™ Press Selection Method has been designed to cut through the calculation process involved in selecting our products.  There are many important considerations which a Multicyl user must consider when designing his package including air pressure, tool selection, type of material and thickness.  Also important is cage selection with issues such as tool height and compatibility, throat depth and material access. Choice of actuation component packages are matched to the cylinder and cage selection to conform 

with local and OSHA approved safety standards.

A simple box entry system is all that’s required to enter the relevant information to obtain the tonnage requirement for the job.   Once entered the choice of Multicyl components automatically appear for the user to select from.  Our goal with these tools is to help Multicyl users quickly and independently work through the initial and ongoing process of buying and using Multicyl products.  But don’t forget – our team is always ready to help, so call or email any time.

Solar Green with Multicyl

Solar energy remains a growing market in North America and around the world.  You can see in the accompanying “Solarbuzz” study that worldwide market share for photovoltaic solar panels has increase by an average of 30% per year over the last 20 years and that in 2008-10 has shown a noticeable upswing. 

http://www.solarbuzz.com/facts-and-figures/markets-growth/market-growth

This growth is due to many factors including government incentives, improvements in the photovoltaic technology, and manufacturing improvements which have made it possible for going green with solar to be more competitive.

 

Multicyl has been involved in a number of projects with manufacturers of solar panels, with 2 of the biggest being Hydro Aluminum in Florida in 2009 and recently in 2011 with SunEarth in California.

The frames that need to be manufactured to house the glass in the panels require a number of holes to be punched in a variety of places and sizes, and Multicyl has a several features that appeal to this type of manufacturing need.   SunEarth requires both cut to length and hole punching operations for a number of differently sized frame components.  The compact size and adjustability of Multicyl was perfect for the job – the machine could punch 3 to 16 holes and cut parts to a length of 3’ to 12’, and could be set up for any part and combination in the range within 5 minutes.  A complete part is punched 2 seconds with a single operator.  See a picture below and click here to see a video of the machine in operation.

 

 

No Summer Doldrums Here

We are now in the traditional summer slowdown, a trading period affected by shutdowns and vacations usually resulting in lower growth for the manufacturing industries.  This year our company, Multicyl Inc. is being carried through this period on the crest of a wave, with production backlogs at an all-time high. Although the phone is quieter than earlier in the year we are experiencing a period of activity which reflects the confidence of the manufacturing industries we serve.

Belonging to the Machine Tool Industry as we do, our trade figures have long been used as a barometer for the future health of manufacturing. Below we have positive feedback from AMTDA, AMT and USMTO with the background story as to why we are feeling this mini-boom.

U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders More Than Double Year-Over-Year

U.S. manufacturing technology orders have dropped the past couple months from a nearly $502 million high in March, but they continue to well outpace 2010 orders. May orders totaled more than $388 million, down 2.6% from April, but up more than 121% from May 2010, according to the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Assn. (AMTDA) and the Assn. for Manufacturing Technology (AMT). Year-to-date orders have reached almost $2 billion, up 108% over 2010.

The numbers are based on data reported by companies participating in the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO, formerly USMTC) program. “The May order numbers confirm our members’ reports of continued strong project levels by manufacturing companies to improve productivity in their factories,” said Peter Borden, AMTDA president. “The 2,000 unit-per-month level signifies a very healthy demand still in place as we head toward the close of the second quarter.”

Three of the five regions that the two associations track actually showed a month-over-month rise in manufacturing technology orders in May. The Northeast, Southern and Midwest regions all performed well, with orders rising 8.4%, 5.1% and 10.9%, respectively. The Midwest has been coming on particularly strong, with May orders up almost 233% over the previous year, and 2011 year-to-date totals at 168.5% more than the comparable figure for 2010.

The Central region’s technology orders dropped almost 22% in May to just over $95 million, but are up almost 84% year-over-year. The Western region saw orders fall 12% in May, but performance gained 94% over the previous May.

ControlDesign.com 07/12/2011

 

Earlier reports concluded that overall construction spending was barely above an 11-year low hit in February. And it is roughly half the $1.5 trillion pace considered healthy by most economists. Analysts say it could be another four years before construction returns to healthier levels.
The economy grew only 1.9 percent in the January-March period, the government said last week. Most economists predict growth to be similarly weak in the current April-June period.
But gas prices are falling. The average price per gallon was $3.55 on Friday. That's down from nearly $4 per gallon in early May.
Cheaper gas should allow consumers to eat out more often and spend more on discretionary purchases, such as furniture and appliances. Consumer spending makes up 70 percent of economic activity.
And the impact of a parts shortage stemming from the March 11th Japan earthquake appears to be easing. All three U.S. automakers on Friday reported stronger sales in June after a slump in May.
The ISM report gives investors some hope that growth will be stronger in the second half of the year, said IHS Global Insight economist Nigel Gault.
There were slightly more new orders for goods in June, and employment picked up. Manufacturers are adding to their stockpiles again.
Economists are also counting on a recovery in auto production to boost second half growth. Deutsche Bank economists estimate that improved auto manufacturing could add as much as a full percentage point to third and fourth quarter growth.
Some signs from abroad are troubling, too. Chinese manufacturing slipped to its slowest pace in 28 months in June, dragged down by rising interest rates and declining exports, according to surveys released Friday in China.
That suggests problems in the U.S. The factory sector has been the primary driver of the recovery, growing now for 23 straight months. And strong growth overseas has been a key part of that growth for large manufacturers of industrial equipment and machinery, such as Caterpillar Inc.
The ISM, a trade group of purchasing executives based in Tempe, Ariz., compiles its manufacturing index by surveying about 300 purchasing executives across the country.

A host of factors have conspired to weaken the outlook for the overall U.S. economy, yet the manufacturing sector continues to forge ahead.

The latest quarterly Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI U.S. Industrial Outlook suggests that the manufacturing sector is poised for more growth.

"The positive momentum of a 2 percent reduction in payroll taxes this year and 100 percent expensing of equipment and software investments has been more than offset by higher oil prices, and Japanese automakers in the U.S. faced a parts shortage as a result of the tsunami," said Daniel J. Meckstroth, Ph.D., chief economist for the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI and author of the analysis. "Manufacturing, though, is currently well positioned for growth. There is pent-up demand for consumer durables, firms are profitable and need to spend more for both traditional and high-tech business equipment, and strong growth in emerging economies is driving U.S. exports."

Manufacturing industrial production, measured on a quarter-to-quarter basis, grew at a 7 percent annual rate in the first quarter of 2011, after expanding at a 3.4 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter of 2010. MAPI forecasts that manufacturing production will increase 6 percent in 2011 and advance by 4 percent in 2012.

Production in non-high-tech manufacturing expanded at a 5.7 percent annual rate during the first quarter of 2011. According to the MAPI report, non-high-tech manufacturing production (which accounts for 90 percent of the total) is expected to increase 5 percent in 2011 and 4 percent in 2012. High-tech industrial production rose at a 21 percent annual rate in the first quarter of 2011. MAPI anticipates this sector will post strong 15 percent growth in 2011 and 13 percent growth in 2012.

As shown in the new report, 18 of the 27 industries MAPI monitors had inflation-adjusted new orders or production above the level of one year ago, two more than reported in the previous quarter, and four industries remained flat. Industrial machinery grew by 32 percent in the three months ending April 2011 compared to the same period one year earlier, while mining and oil and gas field machinery production improved by 29 percent in the same time frame.

The largest drop came in housing starts, which declined 15 percent. Private nonresidential construction experienced an 11 percent decline.

Meckstroth reports that five industries are in the accelerating growth (recovery) phase of the business cycle; 17 industries are in the decelerating growth (expansion) phase; two industries appear to be in the accelerating decline (either early recession or mid-recession) phase; and three are in the decelerating decline (late recession or very mild recession) phase of the cycle.

The report also offers economic forecasts for 24 of the 27 industries. MAPI forecasts that 21 of the 24 industries will show gains in 2011, led by mining and oil and gas field machinery, and industrial machinery, each with expected 26 percent growth. One industry, electric lighting equipment, will remain flat. The recovery should continue in 2012 with growth likely in 23 of 24 industries, including five industries that are predicted to grow at double-digit rates, led by housing starts at 61 percent, albeit from depressed levels, and communications equipment at 16 percent. Public works construction is the only industry anticipated to decline, by 2 percent, in 2012.

Industrial Supply Magazine

Welcome!

Welcome to our Multicyl blog page where we openly discuss current issues and items related to our industry, both in North America and Globally.

Here is the place to look for trade information related to the machine tool and / or press industry. We also publish technical data for use with Multicyl products and discuss issues concerning the use of our product.  We can assist manufacturing engineers with examples of how other customers' innovations and applications improved their bottom line. 

Here is an article that got my attention from the Globe and Mail which addresses some of the fallout from the drop of the US dollar.  Every cloud has a silver lining and in this case the surge of US Exports has had a surprising effect on the North American economy. The eventual rise in value of the Chinese Yuan should also assist with US exports. 

Here are some excerpts from the article, see below for full story :  

U.S. manufacturers are leaving China behind

The United States exported more goods and services in March than in any single month in its history: $172.7-billion (U.S.) worth. It was the country’s 21st consecutive month of rising exports, pushing the year-over-year increase to 20.9 per cent. In these 12 record-setting months, exports reached within one-tenth of 1 per cent of $2-trillion – more than four times the cost of the country’s imports of crude oil.

Click here for full story from Report on Business writer Neil Reynolds

Reported inflation rate for China for May was 5.5%.  Couple this with their double digit annual wage increases and we may not be too far away from the level playing field that manufacturers here are looking for, especially when compared to the lower wages demanded by some of the southern states.  The US housing crisis is not yet over as demand is well below the supply of existing real estate. Add to this the post crisis lower real estate values and the resultant reduced monthly mortgage payments puts the US in good shape to maintain their position of producing 22% of the world's manufactured goods. A number that would rank as number eight economy in the world.

Twenty years ago the rise of Chinese manufacturing was greatly assisted by the brand new infrastructure afforded by their demand to capture 15% of the world's manufacturing goods.  To their credit they have persued and achieved their target.  They have also greatly improved the quality of their exports due largely to their brand new, well organized factories stocked with efficient, modern machinery.

As the US benefits from the likes of Caterpillar and NCR making their prodigal returns to US soil for their future expansions there may be immediate shortages of machine tools due to recent US manufacturing shrinkage and the glut of auctions of redundant plants, most of which have been eagerly sucked into countries like India at bargain prices. They will however need to be replaced by more efficient versions of the older machine tools therefore giving them an edge over the competition.

The retirement of aging personnel from these industries may signal the demand for training in current hi-tech jobs for the next generation.  

Jim Brennan

        President
        Multicyl Inc.